P45...new recoil spring too strong?

[ulflyer]

I recently put a new factory recoil spring in my P45 and now the slide is not
picking up the new shell, even tho it ejected the fired one. I can tell by feel that it is so much stronger than the old one: I can barely get the slide back enough to lock it open. Seems to me its so strong its not allowing the slide to go fully back. I have left the slide locked open for days, hoping it would take a set but this hasn't helped. I was shooting Rem FMJ and some reloads. Same problem with both types ammo.

Any ideas?

[CJB]

The recoil spring may be too long, but... before you go cutting things, you'll need to see whats what.

How many coils (turns) did your old spring have? How many are on the new spring?

Have them match.

New springs will be STRONG, but Kahr also has been known to ship new springs that are a coil or so longer than they need to be, so please check the old one.

[ulflyer]

CJB, unfortunately I threw the old one away! In the past I've tended to keep old springs and as time goes by, forget which is which. I might search thru the house trash bag to see if I can find it. If not, I will clip a coil at a time and test till it works as it should.

[CJB]

Maybe a forum member can step in with a coil count

[gb6491]

Maybe a forum member can step in with a coil count
Here's my CW45 recoil spring:
http://i65.tinypic.com/dzc745.jpg
21 coils (counting along the bottom of the spring in the photo)
Regards,
Greg

[ulflyer]

Thanks Greg for pic. My spring has 22, poss 21 depending on how you look at it, but its only 4 1/4 inch long. I'm guessing I have the wrong spring. Just for grins, I counted the coils in a Commander spring and it too was 22 and 4 1/2 inches. Then I found another spring in my junk drawer that was 22 and also 4 1/2.

I put it in the Kahr and it "feels" right. Will give it a try later on with some light reloads and let you know how it goes.

Edited to add: Shot 3 mags thru....2 of low power reloads and one factory and all functioned fine. Not at all sure but what this may have been the original spring that I thought I had discarded. Either that, or it is the orig spring out of my Sig Commander that I also replaced a few weeks ago. Ain't no fun getting old and forgetting things!

[zaitcev]

On a P45, new from Kahr is about 5-3/8", old is 4-1/4".

[CJB]

Wazzit... like 1/2 coil difference between those two in the pic?

The bottom one is FUBAR

Remember, you're gonna get a spring with no set. Only FIRING (not hand racking, not holding open) will work in that new spring!

[wyntrout]

I use "snack" bags and label them as the old part. I never throw stuff away. You never know when you might need even an old part until a new one can be found.